The present invention is directed to a method and apparatus for distributing content in a telecommunications network. More particularly, the present invention is directed to a method and apparatus to support superdistribution of Digital Rights Management (DRM)-protected content among various terminals including desktop computers, mobile communication devices and intelligent home appliances, all of which have appropriate apparatus for processing and/or outputting the content and connectivity to the Internet, and the customization of the features of the content when downloaded to the terminals based on profile information of the terminals.
Today, there is enormous demand for digital content, in particular digital music in Motion Picture expert group version 3 (MP3) and other formats, to be downloaded from the Internet for entertainment or other purposes. The major enablers of this widespread phenomenon include advances in Internet technology, advances in apparatus for processing and/or outputting digital content including digital audio technology, and the availability of intelligent devices that support digital computing and communication.
Consumers enjoy easy access of digital content over the Internet. They can easily spread their experience to their family, friends and colleagues, by making soft-copies of the downloaded digital content, or by relaying the URLs of the content source over the Internet. This kind of referencing activity can be used as a powerful tool for promoting new products, in parallel with commercial advertisement.
However, the lack of appropriate DRM-protected superdistribution solutions is hindering the growth of this new business model. On one hand, content publishers want to protect the copyrights of their digital content, so that they can be fairly compensated for providing the services. On the other hand, they do not want to make it difficult for consumers to access their digital content and to share their experience with their peers. In addition, there are as many interested groups as there are interested individuals, and it is inefficient if not impossible to try to manage superdistribution of such disparate groups and individuals in a centralised manner.
Various apparatuses, systems and methods have been proposed for distributing digital content including copyrighted material through a telecommunications network, particularly a cellular network. These proposed apparatuses, systems and methods have attempted to control the distribution of the content to ensure that the originator of the content is paid for each copy. Such apparatuses, systems and methods, for example, have operated using encryption techniques where a key is provided to the purchaser of the encrypted content to permit only the purchaser to decrypt the encrypted content.
The actual distribution of such digital content has been accomplished using many different types of telecommunication techniques including using, for example, the Short Message Service (SMS) facilities of a cellular network or the Instant Messaging (IM) technology of an Internet Protocol (IP) network. Using the SMS facilities of a cellular network or the IM technology of an IP network allows for the quick distribution of content to a purchaser operating a network terminal without extensive overhead. The SMS facilities of a cellular network are particularly useful in distributing content such as ring tone data, voice mail, display screens, and the like for use by a terminal. Payment for the content is accomplished, for example, by charging the account the user maintains with the service provider operating the cellular network or by credit/debit card.
Although the above described apparatuses, systems and methods sufficiently handle the distribution of content from the originator/seller of the content to a user and the collection of payments for the content, they are not intended to address the issues associated with superdistribution of content from user to user. The superdistribution of content from user to user often contributes to making content that may have been somewhat popular into content that is widely used and very popular. Superdistribution relies on the actions and excitement of users rather than traditional systems and marketing methods.
One of the major issues associated with superdistribution is controlling such distribution so that the user receiving content, paid for by another user, cannot use the content beyond that needed to inspect the content so as to contemplate purchasing the content. Other issues associated with superdistribution are providing a mechanism to transmit the content from one terminal to another terminal, providing a mechanism to permit the user of the other terminal to purchase the content if desired, and providing a mechanism for permitting the customization of the features of content, that has been downloaded to a device, to the capabilities and functions of the device.
Accordingly, there is a need for a system and method that allows adequate protection of digital content from piracy, participation of individual consumers in the media superdistribution process, and the hierarchical management of superdistribution communities.
Further there is a need for a system and method that permits a user of a terminal in a network to superdistribute content to the terminal of another user and allow the other user of the other terminal to inspect and purchase the content prior to the content being permanently stored in the other terminal.
Still further, there is a need for a system and method that effects the superdistribution of content from a terminal of a user to another terminal of another user without intervention of the network. Only when the other user of the other terminal has inspected the content and indicated a desire to purchase the content should the network intervene.
Still further yet, there is a need for a system and method that effects the customization of the features of content, that has been downloaded to a device, to the capabilities and functions of the device.
Even further still there is a need for a system and method that allows for a terminal to implement business methods based on the superdistribution of content.